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r Toe-Weights for Horses.

Patented Feb. 24, I880.

MPEIERS. PHOTD-LITHOGMPHER WASHINGTON, DUO.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn'.

DAVID ROBERGE AND DAVID BOBERGE, JR, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

TO E-WEIGHT FOR HORSES.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 224,955, dated February 24, 1880.

Application filed August 27, 1879.

-To all whom it may concern:

This invention relates to an improvementin the construction of weights to be applied to the feet of horses for the purpose of improving their gait and speed, the object of the improvement being to construct the weight in such a manner that it can be very readily and quickly applied, and so that it shall not require the use of straps or sandals or other appliances to keep itin position while it is in use. The invention consists in a metallic weight for horses feet, made in two sections, and provided with fingers or projections, which fit into grooves or depressions formed either in the hoof or in the shoe, or partly in both, the said projections being arranged in such a manner that each section can be placed in position in a moment and the two sections then secured together by a screw-bolt provided for that purpose, and when thus applied the said .weight, by reason of the action of the said fingers or projections, will remain firmly in position without the aid of straps or sandals or other appliances for securing the same, all of which is hereinafter particularly set forth and In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a horses foot with our improved weight applied; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 a plan view of the under surface of the weight detached from the foot. Fig. 4 represents the two sections detached and separated.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the several figures.

A may represent the foot of a horse, and b an ordinary horseshoe placed thereon in the usual manner.

0 represents our improved weight, which is I of metal or other suitable material, and is formed in two sections, a c, joined at a. (Z d d are fingers or projections on the front therei of, which are bent at right angles, so that the lower portions of the same will be parallel or on a line with the plane of the sole of the foot. The said lower portions of the said projections are placed radially, and may be slid into corresponding grooves formed either on the under side of the hoof or on the upper surface of the shoe 1), or partly in both, so that when they have been placed in position and the two sections secured together the weight 0 will be retained firmly in position without additional means for securing the same and cannot be removed until the two sections are again separated. y.

f represents the screw-bolt, by means of which the two sections are connected and secured. The head of this screw-bolt may be arranged to lie in a recess, It, so that there shall be no projecting parts; and for the purpose of keeping the outer surfaces of the sec tions 0 c flush with each other we provide a pin or projection, on, upon one face of the joint,- which fits into a slot or depression, 0, formed upon theother face of the said joint.

We ordinarily locate two of the fingers, as d and d, on one section, and the other finger, 61 on the other section, and the contiguous edges of the said fingers d cl are made parallel with each other, as shown in Fig. 3, so that they will readily slide into the grooves when the section upon which they are is being placed in position. More than three of said fingers may be used, if desired.

In applying the said weight to the foot one of the sections is first placed in position, and then the other section, which being done, the said sections are then connected by means of the screw-bolt f, and, by reason of the converging fingers or projections lying in the grooves or depressions, the said weight, when thus secured, is retained firmly in position without the aid of additional appliances.

The middle finger, d, may, if preferred, be substituted by a straight pin, the lower end of which enters a slot or depression on the upper surface of the shoe b; and, if desired, the weight may be still more firmly attached to the feet by means of ascrew-nail, p, the inner end of which, after passing through the metal, enters a short distance into the hoof; but ordinarily this additional means of attachment is not necessary, as the radial fingers or projections keep the weight firmly in position.

It will be understood that the said weights C may be made heavier or lighter by using a larger or smaller quantity of metal or material in their construction, as may be required; and, by means of our invention, the use of straps and other appliances ordinarily used heretofore for securing the weights, and which have a tendency to impede the free action of the horse, is entirely dispensed with.

We are aware that a metallic foot-weight has heretofore been used for horses; but it has been made in one piece, and, consequently, required the use of a screw or similar means to attach it to the shoe; and the special advantage secured by our improvement of making the weight in two parts and providing the DAVID ROBERGE. DAVID ROBERGE, JR.

Witnesses:

SANFORD H. STEELE, JOHN S. THORNTON. 

